Pipe mat and method for using same for collecting fluids draining from drill pipe

ABSTRACT

A pipe mat for use with a tubing tray for receiving, organizing and storing drill pipe tripped out of a drill string on a drilling rig has a plurality of substantially parallel and spaced-apart support rails to form a plurality of drain channels disposed between adjacent pair of support rails. A plurality of substantially parallel and spaced-apart nub rails is disposed on the plurality of support rails. The nub rails are substantially orthogonal to the support rails, thereby forming a lattice structure having openings disposed between the nub rails that are in communication with the drain channels. A plurality of spaced-apart pipe nubs extend upwardly from the nub rails, which hold a drill pipe in place when an end of the drill pipe is placed onto one of the pipe nubs. A method for collecting fluids draining from drill pipe uses the pipe mat with the tubing tray.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.15/145,386, filed May 3, 2016, which is a divisional of U.S. applicationSer. No. 13/542,567, filed Jul. 5, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,353,580,issued May 31, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/647,393, filed May 15, 2012, the entire disclosuresof which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure is related to the field of pipe mats, inparticular, pipe mats for use with tubing trays used on drilling rigsfor organizing and placing drill pipe on when being tripped in or out ofa drill string, and methods for collecting fluids draining from thedrill pipe.

Description of the Related Art

There is a need for a pipe mat to be used, in conjunction with a tubingtray that the pipe mat is placed in, to receive, organize and storedrill pipe on when being tripped in or out of a drill string, and toprovide means and a method for receiving fluids draining from the drillpipe and channeling the fluids away from the drill pipe for storage,recycling or disposal after the drill pipe has been removed from thepipe mat.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A pipe mat is provided for use with a tubing tray for receiving,organizing and storing drill pipe tripped out of a drill string on adrilling rig. In some embodiments, the pipe mat can comprise a pluralityof substantially parallel and spaced-apart support rails to form aplurality of drain channels disposed between adjacent pair of supportrails, a plurality of substantially parallel and spaced-apart nub railsdisposed on the plurality of support rails, the nub rails substantiallyorthogonal to the support rails thereby form a lattice structure havingopenings disposed between the nub rails that are in communication withthe drain channels, and a plurality of spaced-apart pipe nubs extendingupwardly from the nub rails, which are configured to hold a drill pipein place when an end of the drill pipe is placed onto one of the pipenubs.

In some embodiments, a method is provided for collecting fluids drainingfrom drill pipe tripped out of a drill string on a drilling wherein apipe mat can be placed in a tubing tray to receive the drill pipe. Anend of the drill pipe can be placed onto a pipe nub to hold the drillpipe in position. Fluids in the drill pipe can drain through theopenings disposed through the pipe mat into the drain channels tocollect in the tubing tray.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, a pipe mat is provided for use witha tubing tray for receiving, organizing and storing drill pipe trippedout of a drill string on a drilling rig, the pipe mat comprising: aplurality of substantially parallel and spaced-apart support rails,thereby forming a plurality of drain channels, wherein each drainchannel is disposed between each adjacent pair of support rails; aplurality of substantially parallel and spaced-apart nub rails disposedor supported on the plurality of support rails, wherein the plurality ofnub rails are substantially orthogonal to the plurality of support railsthereby forming a lattice or matrix-type structure thereby formingopenings disposed between adjacent pairs of nub rails wherein theopenings are in communication with the drain channels; and a pluralityof spaced-apart pipe nubs extending upwardly from at least one of theplurality of nub rails, the pipe nubs configured to hold a drill pipe inplace when an end of the drill pipe is placed onto one of the pipe nubs.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, each of the pipe nubs can comprisea triangular profile or cross-sectional shape.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, the pipe mat can further comprise acorner bumper disposed on at least one corner of the pipe mat.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, at least one of the support railscan be configured as an end support rail.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, the openings disposed between atleast one of the end support rails and its adjacent support rail cancomprise an elongated or oval configuration or shape.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, at least one of the end supportrails can comprise a plurality of cutaways disposed along an outer edgethereof.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, the cutaways can comprise asemicircular configuration or shape.

Broadly stated, in some embodiments, a method is provided for collectingfluids draining from drill pipe tripped out of a drill string on adrilling rig, the method comprising the steps of: providing a pipe matfor use with a tubing tray for receiving, organizing and storing drillpipe thereon, the pipe mat comprising: a plurality of substantiallyparallel and spaced-apart support rails, thereby forming a plurality ofdrain channels, wherein each drain channel is disposed between eachadjacent pair of support rails, a plurality of substantially paralleland spaced-apart nub rails disposed or supported on the plurality ofsupport rails, wherein the plurality of nub rails are substantiallyorthogonal to the plurality of support rails thereby forming a latticeor matrix-type structure thereby forming openings disposed betweenadjacent pairs of nub rails wherein the openings are in communicationwith the drain channels, and a plurality of spaced-apart pipe nubsextending upwardly from at least one of the plurality of nub rails, thepipe nubs configured to hold a drill pipe in place when an end of thedrill pipe is placed onto one of the pipe nubs; placing the pipe matinto the tubing tray; and placing an end of a drill pipe tripped out ofthe drill string onto one of the pipe nubs disposed on the pipe mat,wherein fluids disposed within the drill pipe can drain from the drillpipe through the openings into the drain channels and collect in thetubing tray.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view depicting one embodiment of a pipe mat.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view depicting the pipe mat of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view depicting the pipe mat of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view depicting the pipe mat of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view depicting the pipe mat of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view depicting the pipe mat of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a top plan view depicting the pipe mat of FIG. 1 in a tubingtray.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view depicting the pipe mat of FIG. 7 with drillpipe standing thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, one embodiment of pipe mat 10 is shown. Insome embodiments, pipe mat 10 can comprise a plurality of substantiallyparallel and spaced-apart nub rails 12 disposed on, or otherwisesupported by or on, a plurality of substantially parallel andspaced-apart support rails 22, wherein support rails 22 can besubstantially orthogonal to nub rails 12 thereby forming a lattice ormatrix type structure. In some embodiments, each nub rail 12 cancomprise a plurality of spaced-apart pipe nubs 14 extending upwardlytherefrom. In some embodiments, each pipe nub 14 can comprise atriangular profile or cross-sectional shape, as shown in FIG. 4, forreceiving an end of a drill pipe and prevent the drill pipe fromshifting or moving on pipe mat 10, effectively holding the drill pipe inplace. The spacing between nub rails 12, support rails 18 and 22, andpipe nubs 14 can be selected or chosen to accommodate standard sizes ofdrill pipe, as well known to those skilled in the art. The number of nubrails 12 and support rails 22 can be selected or chosen to holdaccommodate any number of drill pipes, having consideration to thediameter size of the drill pipe.

In some embodiments, pipe mat 10 can further comprise an end supportrail 18 that can be substantially parallel and spaced-apart from asupport rail 22. In further embodiments, pipe mat 10 can comprise twoend support rails 18, one on each opposing sides of pipe mat 10.

In some embodiments, pipe mat 10 can comprise a plurality of openings 20disposed therethrough between upper surface 11 and bottom surface 13,each opening 20 disposed between a pair of adjacent nub rails 12. Insome embodiments, support rails 22 can be configured with a repeating orsequential hourglass shape wherein each opening 20 can be approximatelyor substantially circular in shape or configuration. This configurationprovides a balance between providing structural strength and rigidityfor the lattice structure of pipe mat 10 and providing sufficient areafor openings 20 to allow fluids to drain from drill pipe throughopenings 20 into a tubing tray that pipe mat 10 can be placed in.

In some embodiments, end support rails 18 can be configured to bedisposed further apart from its adjacent support rail 22 than thespacing between adjacent pairs of support rails 22, wherein openings 21disposed between end support rail 18 and its adjacent support rail 22can be elongated and oval in configuration or shape. In furtherembodiments, end support rails 18 can further comprise a plurality ofspaced-apart cutaways 23 disposed on outer edge 19 thereof to providefurther drainage openings for fluids draining from a drill pipe placedon one of pipe nubs 14 disposed above an end support rail 18 to collectin a tray that pipe mat 10 is placed in. In further embodiments, eachcutaway 23 can be disposed between adjacent pairs of nub rails 12. Inyet further embodiments, each cutaway 23 can comprise a semi-circularconfiguration or shape a balance between providing structural strengthand rigidity for the lattice structure of pipe mat 10 and providingsufficient area for each cutaway 23 to allow fluids to drain from adrill pipe into a tubing tray that pipe mat 10 is placed in.

In some embodiments, pipe mat 10 can comprise a plurality of drainchannels 24 disposed on bottom surface 13 between each drain channel 24disposed between adjacent pairs of support rails 22 or between an endsupport rail 18 and its adjacent support rail 22. In some embodiments,openings 20 and 21 can be in communication with drain channels 24.

In some embodiments, pipe mat 10 can comprise a bumper 16 disposed onone or more corners of pipe mat 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. Eachbumper 16 can extend outwardly from an end support rail 18 and an outermost nub rail 12.

Referring to FIG. 7, in some embodiments, bumpers 16 can be used tocenter pipe mat 10 in tubing tray 26, which can be sized to receive pipemat 10. By providing bumpers 16, bumpers 16 can prevent pipe mat 10 fromsliding or shifting within basin 28 of tubing tray 26, as drill pipe isplaced onto or removed from pipe mat 10, by contacting inner corners 30as a means to keep pipe mat 10 centered within tubing tray 26.

Referring to FIG. 8, pipe mat 10 is shown placed in tubing tray 26 withpieces of drill pipe 32 placed on pipe mat 10 wherein end 34 of eachdrill pipe 32 can be placed onto a pipe nub 14, which can hold drillpipe 32 in place and prevent it from moving or shifting once placed onpipe mat 10. When drill pipe 32 is tripped out of a drill string, anyresidual drilling fluid or produced substances in drill pipe 32 candrain therefrom and pass through openings 20 and 21 disposed in pipe mat10 to collect in drain channels 24 while holding drill pipe 32 abovebottom surface 27 of basin 28. In so doing, the drained fluids can becontained in tubing tray 26 for recycling or proper disposal when all ofthe pieces of drill pipe 32 have been removed therefrom.

Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications might be made without departing from the scope of theinvention. The terms and expressions used in the preceding specificationhave been used herein as terms of description and not of limitation, andthere is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions ofexcluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portionsthereof, it being recognized that the invention is defined and limitedonly by the claims that follow.

We claim:
 1. A pipe mat for use with a tubing tray for receiving drillpipe tripped out of a drill string on a drilling rig, the pipe matcomprising: a) a plurality of support rails, spaced so that eachadjacent pair of support rails in combination with the tubing traydefines a respective drain channel; b) a plurality of nub rails disposedor supported on the plurality of support rails, the plurality of nubrails forming a lattice or matrix-type structure in combination with thesupport rails defining openings in communication with the drainchannels; and c) a plurality of spaced-apart pipe nubs extendingupwardly from at least one of the plurality of nub rails, the pipe nubsconfigured to hold a drill pipe in place when an end of the drill pipeis placed onto one of the pipe nubs.
 2. The pipe mat as set forth inclaim 1, wherein each of the pipe nubs comprises a triangular profile orcross-sectional shape.
 3. The pipe mat as set forth in claim 1, whereinat least one of the support rails is configured as an end support rail.